LBS mini-rant, and prolly totally offbase but I have my opinion lol

[pjbaz]

Originally Posted by mtechnica

Yeah, I have built two shimano 11 speed bikes and put thousands of miles on them, and was not aware that I couldn't use my pedros chain breaker

Shimano finally produced a quick link, it was with my new chain and bam, it's on and ready. I still have my handy Park chain breaker, but I love the ease of a quick link, ... and it allowed me to buy a new tool!

[oldguy00]

Yeah, I'm going with off base and ridiculous...lol

Most bikers I know don't know how to do the most basic maintenance on their bikes, and I've seen tools sit on LBS walls for years unsold.

[mingc]

Originally Posted by pjbaz

Have you tried a Shimano link? If so, you sir are one strong mofo!

I admitted defeat almost instantly LOL

Yeah! It's not your father's KMC link! I put my first one on just last week. I thought I was going to break my Park plier!

[Saint Vitus]

I went to go buy a spare link after I had a new Shimano 11s chain installed the week before as a "just in case" out on the trails of the BWR. The store I went to didn't have one and said they only came with the chain. Glad I read this topic...

[pjbaz]

Originally Posted by Saint Vitus

I went to go buy a spare link after I had a new Shimano 11s chain installed the week before as a "just in case" out on the trails of the BWR. The store I went to didn't have one and said they only came with the chain. Glad I read this topic...

They're available on some of the mail order sites, but none of the local LBS near me have them yet.

[booglebug]

Snap ring pliers is the trick for this

[Gummee]

In the year or so I've been at the new shop exactly zero people have asked for tools. Exactly zero people have asked for anything other than lube. Exactly zero people asked about the difference between the old Shimano chains and the new ones.

The last shop I was at, we sold a few tools, but not many. Mostly multi tools and allen wrench sets. We may have sold a bit of grease in the 2 years I was there.

It just isn't anything anyone is asking for outside us 'enthusiasts.'

I have pretty much everything I need here at home. ...and just finished putting some of my used 11sp Ultegra stuff on a friend of a friend's bike. Used automotive grease for the BB. Bought a tub to do wheel bearings on Dad's Mercedes a few years ago and still have about half the tub.

M

[pjbaz]

Originally Posted by Gummee

In the year or so I've been at the new shop exactly zero people have asked for tools. Exactly zero people have asked for anything other than lube. Exactly zero people asked about the difference between the old Shimano chains and the new ones.

The last shop I was at, we sold a few tools, but not many. Mostly multi tools and allen wrench sets. We may have sold a bit of grease in the 2 years I was there.

It just isn't anything anyone is asking for outside us 'enthusiasts.'

I have pretty much everything I need here at home. ...

M

And that's the issue I had. I am an enthusiast. I do almost all of my own repairs. I own a large amount of shop tools acquired from many places, including purchases from shops (like this tool), online (that doesn't help a single LBS) and from shops that closed (great way to pick up tools on the cheap) because they didn't meet the demands of the local market for whatever reason.

Like I said, no shop can carry everything but I can easily just order online and the LBS gets no loot. Chicken and egg thing, thankfully sorted by one LBS having it in stock. FTR, they added another to their order for stock right as I checked out.